Jamie O’Hara has thrown his weight behind Graham Potter as the ideal candidate to replace Julen Lopetegui as West Ham United boss. The former Tottenham midfielder believes Potter is “waiting” for the right opportunity to take the reins at the London Stadium, and O’Hara thinks the West Ham job could be the perfect fit.
Speaking live on talkSPORT, O’Hara and Jason Cundy discussed the potential of Potter taking over from Lopetegui, who has been under intense scrutiny following West Ham’s dismal start to the season.
“[Potter] keeps turning down every job that he gets asked for, so maybe he is waiting for the West Ham one,” O’Hara said. “He’s got a great reputation, and his credentials in the Premier League are there for all to see.”
Cundy agreed with O’Hara’s assessment, adding: “He’ll have a nice brand of football, we saw what he did at Brighton. His credentials are there in the Premier League. I know it didn’t work out for him at Chelsea, but Chelsea at that time was a club in turmoil. He feels like the obvious choice, and I think West Ham is the size of football club that he’d be happy to take on.”
West Ham’s 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal on Saturday has only added to the pressure on Lopetegui, and O’Hara believes Potter could be the saviour the Hammers need.
“Graham Potter could be the perfect candidate to turn West Ham’s season around,” O’Hara said. “He’s got a proven track record in the Premier League, and his style of football would suit West Ham’s players. He’s the kind of manager who could get the best out of the likes of Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen.”
With West Ham’s season teetering on the brink, the Hammers’ hierarchy must act quickly to address the team’s woes. Potter’s appointment could be the catalyst for a turnaround in fortunes, but only time will tell if the former Chelsea boss is willing to take on the challenge.
“David Sullivan and the West Ham board need to take a long, hard look at themselves and decide what they want to achieve this season,” O’Hara said. “If they’re serious about turning things around, then they need to act quickly and bring in a manager who can get the best out of the players. Graham Potter could be that man.”
